Mecum Auctions, Dallas, October 3-6, 2018

Since securing the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in 2012 to enter the Dallas-Ft. Worth market Mecum Auctions has built – as they seem consistently to be able to do – a steady four-day presence with 1,000+ lots on offer.

Their calendar record hasn’t been as steady, with five of the seven sales taking place in early September (on the collector car auction calendar that is a week after Auburn Fall) but in 2016 in November and in 2018 in October. 2017 saw them back in September with the only Dallas auction that didn’t have over a thousand lots consigned.

Scheduling a major and high-profile convention center, such as the one in Dallas, is fraught with overlaps and conflicts, sometimes booked years and years in advance. Mecum has dealt well with issues like this in Dallas, but it has affected their sales.

Even RM Auctions has had to deal with this at the Arizona Biltmore back in 2008 when, after nine years at the Biltmore, a long-ago booking by Merrill Lynch pre-empted the ballroom and put RM in a parking lot tent (where some scumbag stole my Nikon.)

Dallas is now one of Mecum’s top-three auctions, well behind January’s ten-day show at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida (2,926 lots in 2018) but closing in on the Spring Classic in Indianapolis (1,850 lots in 2018). It’s a measure of Mecum’s ability to develop a venue that fourth place in 2018 consignments belongs to Harrisburg with 982 consignments this year, a venue in only its fifth year on Mecum Auctions’ calendar.

Here are the numbers:

Year

Cars Sold/ Offered

Sale %

Average Sale

Median Sale

Total $

2018

807/1138

70.9%

$35,746

$24,200

[67.7%]

$28,847,225

2017

602/846

72.1%

$36,670

$25,300

[69%]

$22,075,326

2016

759/1039

73.1%

$32,845

$24,200

[73.7%]

$24,929,333

[The ratio in square brackets “[ ]” may warrant some explanation. It’s the Median Sale (half sold for more, half sold for less) divided by the Average Sale and is an indicator of the consistency of the value of sold lots. A sale with one or a few Big Buck transactions will have a much lower percentage. For example RM Sotheby’s Monterey this year had several 8-figure transactions and a Median/Mean ratio of 26.9%.]

Andrew Newton, who lives in Dallas and got to sleep in his own bed this week, reported Mecum Dallas. The final content is the responsibility of Rick Carey.

The transaction descriptions that follow are sorted by Marque, Model, Body Style and Year for easier searching.

Lot # S57.1 1997 AM General HMCS Wagon 4×4; S/N 137ZA8439VE178493; Deep Green Metallic/Tan cloth; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $60,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $66,000 – 6.5 liter turbo-diesel, automatic, roof rack, brush guard, winch, Monsoon stereo, 20-inch wheels, power windows and locks – Showing and represented as 19,411 believable miles. Really tidy underneath but the paint has lots of scratches and cracks. Very good interior other than slightly faded gauges. A lightly used H1, but a used one nonetheless. – It seems like domestic manufacturers can’t sell anything but SUVs, pickups and clunky crossovers these days and that consumer preference is, if this transaction is any indication, spilling over to the collector market. A thoroughly uninteresting but very large vehicle that sold for an impressive price.

Lot # S138.1 1960 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I BN7 Roadster; S/N HBN7L3988; Red, Beige/Beige leather with Red piping and stitching; Recent restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $80,000 – Centerlock wire wheels, single wing mirror, luggage rack, hardtop, woodrim steering wheel, wood shift knob, overdrive, Lucas driving lights, custom diamond stitched upholstery on the seats, transmission tunnel and spare tire cover. – Very good chrome and brightwork. The paint isn’t factory correct but it’s fresh and looks very good. Lightly scratched and cloudy windows on the hardtop. Erratic fit on the doors. Very clean and fully redone underneath. Good, lightly worn interior. Represented as restored last year. Not factory correct and not in perfect condition, but it’s all tasteful and certainly a car you could feel proud of. – This car was at Mecum Monterey this year and hammered not sold at a $55,000 high bid. That was a low number and a reasonable one to refuse. The reported high bid here is not. 80 grand is a perfectly reasonable number for a recently restored BN7, and if anything the custom touches make it worth less. The Big Healey craze is over and this consignor missed it.

Lot # S60.1 1954 Buick Skylark Model 100 Convertible; S/N 7A1129677; Black/Red leather; White vinyl top; Older restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000 – Wire wheels, whitewalls, Selectronic radio, dash clock, power windows, power steering. – Lightly used fully restored engine bay. Sound but older paint. The passenger’s door sticks out slightly at the bottom, and there is a small dent with cracking paint right below it. Fairly dull brightwork. Dent in the left rear fender. Cracks around the bottom of the top. Good interior. Dirty top. Body-off restored 11 years ago, but a little disappointing and even beat up in spots. Deserves better. – Not strong money, but this isn’t a strong car. It sold for $79,750 at RM Monterey 2010, then sold for $82,500 at Mecum Monterey this year. At this price, the new owner has some money left over to address the body issues.

Lot # S091 1957 Buick Super Convertible; S/N 5D4035724; Starlight Blue, Dover White/Blue, Light Blue; Older restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $137,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $151,250 – 364/300hp, Dynaflow, chrome wire wheels, whitewalls, boot cover, power steering, power brakes, tinted glass, Sonomatic radio, power seat. – Nearly spotless fully restored engine bay. Very good paint and chrome. Slightly uneven gaps. Very good fully redone interior. Looks fresh and gorgeous. – This car sold for $159,000 at Mecum Indy in 2011 and again for $121,000 in Kissimmee this year. All are pretty strong results, but they speak to the quality and thoroughness of the restoration. The bargain price at Kissimmee is troubling, but it is a sharp car with abundant eye-appeal.

Lot # S137 1948 Buick Super Sedanet; S/N 14815850; Dark Green, Light Green/Gray cloth; Enthusiast restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $15,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $16,500 – 3-speed, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, fender skirts, pushbutton radio, heater, dash clock. – Tired chrome. Scratches on the grille. Pitted brightwork. Average quality old respray. Loose door handles. Good older restored interior. Tidy and restored but lightly used underneath. An older budget restoration, but still a neat presentable driver with the attractive fastback rear. – Domestic cars of the ’40s like this don’t have a bright value future. Younger buyers aren’t interested and for a long time they mostly haven’t been worth enough to put serious money into. They offer a lot of style per dollar, though, and this one was lucky to get a solid price here in Dallas.

Lot # T39 1967 Cadillac DeVille Convertible; S/N F7283001; White/Black vinyl; Black top; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $16,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $17,600 – Wire wheels, whitewalls, rear seat speaker, boot cover, armrest, climate control, power windows, original pushbutton radio, Pioneer stereo under the dash, column shift automatic. – Average older paint with a few chips around the hood and a big gouge on the passenger’s door. Fairly dull, mostly original brightwork. Very good mostly original interior with slightly faded gauges and some scratches around the ignition from fumbling with the key. Mostly unrestored underneath. A maintained and fundamentally attractive car, but a little too used and tired to be anything but a casual driver. – This car sold for $18,700 at B-J Orange County in May 2011, then for $16,500 at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas four months later. Mecum peddled it for $20,140 at Houston in 2013. Not much seems to have happened to the car since then and not much has happened to prices for these DeVilles, either, so it’s hard to argue with this one’s consistency at auction. Just for the record, the variation from high to low is under $3,000, which is probably the standard deviation.

Lot # S60 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N F58S186163; Tropic Turquise/Blue vinyl with pattern cloth inserts; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $34,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $37,400 – 348/250hp, automatic, spinner wheel covers, whitewalls, fender skirts, AM radio, dash clock, power steering, power brakes, air conditioning. – Some light pitting on the wheel covers and around the grille. Touch up on the left front fender but otherwise very good older paint. Lightly scratched rear glass. Most of the body trim is a little dull. Good, lightly worn interior. Tidy engine bay, but not represented as matching numbers. A pretty straightforward older restoration on an attractive first year Impala. – The Dallas bidders bought this car on the basis of being a base 283/185hp car upgraded with the 348 and it’s tough to argue with their judgment based on the sketchy representation … and the absence of the 348 crossed-flags emblem on the hood. It is a good weekend driver and at this price, who cares?

Lot # T62 1980 Chevrolet Blazer Silverado Sport Utility Vehicle 4×4; S/N CKL18AF136077; Copper, Beige/Tan vinyl, Houndstooth cloth; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $13,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $14,850 – 350/170hp, automatic, power steering, power brakes, bucket seats, console, Hurst T-handle shifter. – Pitting around the grille and on the door handles. Tired original chrome. Pretty good recent respray. The body side trim doesn’t fit flush with the body. Very tidy underneath with newer exhaust. New-ish weather stripping. Very good original interior other than several big cracks on the dash top and there is odd sparkling coming off the console like someone threw glitter all over it. An honest and neat K5 Blazer. Not a cream puff, just a well-kept and unmolested one to tool around in. – Price-wise, Blazers are still trailing the Broncos that keep getting more and more expensive, but they’re trending upward nevertheless. While this price would have bought a pretty much like-new ’80 Blazer only a year or two ago, today it gets just a solid driver.

Lot # F163 1967 Chevrolet Camaro 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 123377L144136; Butternut Yellow/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $18,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $20,350 – 230/140hp, hub caps, straight-six, 3-speed on the column, Protect-O-Plate, dealer-installed air conditioning. – Pretty good 1980s repaint all things considered with some cracks on the nose and hood. Very good, possibly newer chrome. A little dirty underneath but maintained and sound. Good lightly worn interior. A California car that clearly benefitted from the climate. When was the last time you saw an unrestored `67 Camaro with a six-cylinder engine, let alone one this well preserved? – Almost all the value in this base first year Camaro is in the fact that it’s unrestored and that six-cylinder first gen cars are rare enough these days to have some notoriety. Otherwise it would have had a small-block swapped in years ago. This price is about what a base 327 in this condition would be worth. Who would have bought this Camaro in 1967?

Lot # S40.1 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Sport Coupe; S/N 124870N574125; Mulsanne Blue, White vinyl roof/Blue vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $24,000 – 350/250hp, automatic, trim rings, narrow whitewalls, column shift, factory radio, factory air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, spoilers. – Very clean restored engine bay. Pitted badge on the nose. Good older paint and chrome. Factory gaps. A few handprints on the roof vinyl. Very good almost fully restored interior. The windshield is delaminating at the bottom. A well restored and handsome car that has a lot of charm even if it isn’t a Z/28 or an SS. – But because it isn’t a Z/28 or an SS, it isn’t worth a whole lot of money. The reported high bid was fair and should have seen the car off to a new home, particularly since it was sold at Auburn Spring four years ago for $20,625.

Lot # F193 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 124378N368437; Cordovan Maroon, White stripes, White vinyl roof/Parchment vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $57,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $63,250 – 302/290hp, 4-speed, Rally wheels, Wide Tread GT tires, rear spoiler, 4.10 Positraction, Hurst shifter, factory radio, Protect-O-Plate documented. – Represented as matching numbers. Good older chrome. Light detail scratches in the paint. A few spots of discoloration on the vinyl roof. Factory gaps. A few light smudges on the seats but mostly very good restored interior. Nothing wrong with it and it’s finished in unusual but attractive colors, but it’s not a fresh car. – Not sold at a $50,000 high bid at Mecum Indy this year and the consignor scored here with this result, although the buyer got a solid, quality Z/28 for a realistic price.

Lot # F194 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 124379L523210; Engine # V0212DZ; Tuxedo Black/Red vinyl; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $110,000 – Cross ram DZ (302/465hp), 4-speed. Rally wheels, Wide Tread GT tires, factory AM radio, Hurst shifter. – Gorgeous engine bay. Paint issues at the bottom of the left A-pillar but otherwise very good paint. Excellent interior. Spotless underbody. A high quality, well equipped Z with the sublime cross ram dual quad dealer available intake. – At the Barrett-Jackson Northeast auction last year this Camaro, in better than new condition with one mile on its odometer, was reported a no-sale for “$12,100” which we can reasonably assume was a data entry error with a missing zero. With 47 miles showing on the odometer today it was still a no-sale, but should have sold. The consignor has grandiose visions of value.

Lot # F199.1 1997 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Convertible; S/N 2G1FP32P0V2153848; White, Brickyard 400 graphics/Gray leather; White vinyl top; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $15,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $16,500 – 350/285hp, automatic, Brickyard 400 Festival car loaded with options. – Represented with 1,400 miles. Well-kept paint. A few scuffs on the top. Good but not quite like new interior. Clean underneath. Not quite as fresh looking as you’d expect from a special edition Camaro with mileage this low. – There is no premium at all in this result for this Camaro’s originality, low miles or Brickyard 400 Festival history and is a good value for the new owner in this transaction. With 1,400 miles on the odometer a few more will have little effect upon the car’s value.

Lot # F196 1971 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Sport Coupe; S/N 12481L503797; Mulsanne Blue, White stripes/Black; Older restoration, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $43,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $47,300 – 350/330hp, 4-speed, spoilers, Polyglas GT tires, console, factory radio, Hurst shifter, headers. – Clean lightly used engine bay. Good older paint with a few small chips on the passenger’s door. Lightly scratched rear glass and window frame. Small chip on the roof. Very good mostly restored interior. Thoroughly restored at one point, but showing some age and there are quite a few issues. – The result here is slightly expensive and favorable to the seller considering the age of the restoration, but not outrageous and the buyer should be satisfied with a sound and attractive LT1-powered Z/28.

Lot # F197 1977 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Sport Coupe; S/N 1Q87L7N561118; Light Red/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $43,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $47,300 – 350/170hp, automatic, air conditioning, console, pushbutton radio. – Showing 9,350 believable miles. Unrestored and used engine bay, but it’s well maintained and was highly detailed recently. Very good lightly faded original paint. New weather stripping. Remarkable original interior. About as close to a new `77 Z/28 as there is. – Two people must have really wanted this car, because this result is miles beyond what other good Z/28s bring. A ’77 Z/28 has 170 horsepower; at this price, you could buy a brand new Camaro SS that has 455hp and a six-speed

Lot # F192 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 RS 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 124377N243629; Engine # 18N424962 V0423MO; Mountain Green, Black stripes, Black vinyl roof/Black; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $105,000 – 302/290hp, 4-speed, RS Z/28 with Rally wheels, Wide Tread GT tires, Hurst shifter, factory radio. – Very rare `67 Z/28, and represented as the only one in this configuration. Nearly spotless fully restored engine bay and underbody. Excellent paint and chrome. Clean, straight roof vinyl. Very good fully restored interior. Thoroughly redone, but nothing over the top. Essentially like new. – One might wonder what the consignor thought was the market value of this RS Z/28? More than the reported high bid is a wet dream, even for a competently restored car like this. The claim it is “the only one in this configuration” is barely relevant to its value.

Lot # F193.1 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 RS 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 124378L337090; Engine # 18L337090; Rallye Green, White stripes/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $85,000 – 302/290hp, 4-speed, Rally wheels, Wide Tread GT tires, power steering, power brakes, 4.10 Positraction, sport steering wheel, console, Hurst shifter, factory radio, Protect-O-Plate. – Very well maintained original engine bay. Microblisters on the hood and the trunk lid as well as some chips on the right side of the body, but otherwise remarkable, probably original paint. Sound original chrome and brightwork. Very small rip in the driver’s seat but otherwise fantastic original interior. Unrestored and still way too good to restore, plus it ticks a lot of the right boxes in terms of equipment and colors. – The reported high bid contains a hefty originality premium on the order of $20,000, a realistic offer that recognizes the quality of this car and the rarity of its survival in such good condition. Expecting much, if any, more, however, is highly optimistic.

Lot # S69.1 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 RS 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 124379N646200; Daytona Yellow, Black stripes/Yellow vinyl with Yellow Houndstooth cloth inserts; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $110,000 – 302/290hp, 4-speed, Rally wheels, 3.73 Positraction, pushbutton radio, Hurst shifter. – Represented as matching numbers. Gorgeous engine bay. Very good paint and chrome. Even gaps. Excellent interior. Fresh and nothing to pick on. Restored to better than new condition, but your favorite color better be yellow. – There’s a big premium for the RS package on a Z/28, but it still doesn’t go all the way in explaining why the consignor refused this perfectly fair high bid. This same car sold for $62,700 at Russo and Steele Scottsdale in 2006, before its latest restoration. It’s impeccable, but this is impeccable ’69 Z/28 money.

Lot # S81.1 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle COPO 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 136379B412598; Fathom Green, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $150,000 – 427/425hp, Rally wheels, Polyglas tires, M22 4-speed, 4.10 Positraction, Hurst shifter, factory AM radio. – A genuine COPO car represented as numbers-matching, build sheet documented COPO 9566A. Gorgeous engine bay. Very good paint and chrome. Even gaps. Clean, straight roof vinyl. Excellent interior. Nothing to pick on. Restored recently enough and to deservedly high standards. – There’s no mention of which dealer ordered this COPO 9566A and the lack of attribution is meaningful in the result here. Had it been a Yenko the result would have been greater. Bragging rights go to recognized names in the COPO world, and this one had none.

Lot # F213 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 138378K155091; Teal Blue, Black/Parchment vinyl; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000 – 396/375hp, 4-speed, hub caps, red line tires, 4.10 Positraction, bucket seats, floor shift with Hurst shifter, factory radio, Protect-O-Plate. – Very clean engine bay and underbody. Very good fresh paint and chrome. Very good fully restored interior. A body-off restoration finished in 2014 and lightly used since. Still gorgeous and needs nothing. – Attractive colors, high quality restoration work and desirable 4-speed led this car to a very strong $72,600 at this sale two years ago, and it’s pretty much the same story here in 2018.

Lot # F154 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N J58S103338; Silver Blue, Silver coves/Blue vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $92,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $101,200 – 283/245hp, dual quads, 4-speed, spinner wheel covers, Goodyear whitewalls, WonderBar radio. – Good chrome. Small dent in the left fender trim. Sound and blemish-free but older paint. Lightly used restored engine bay. A few stains in the carpets and some dull switchgear but mostly good interior. A straightforward used older restoration in attractive colors. – Bought appropriately for its condition and specifications, but no bargain with the hydraulic lifter dual quad 283, this will be an enjoyable driver that with good care will retain its value.

Lot # F155 1962 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N 20867S113453; Roman Red/Red vinyl; White vinyl top; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $57,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $62,700 – 327/340hp, 4-speed, wheel covers, Sears narrow whitewalls, power windows, WonderBar radio. – Lightly used engine bay, scratched up air cleaner. Lightly scratched chrome and brightwork. Sound but old paint, a few chips off the steering wheel and flat driver’s seat but mostly good interior. A straightforward, lightly used older restoration. – This Corvette was bought at a bargain price, but one balanced by the absence of any claim this is how it emerged from St. Louis. The bidders’ decision was balanced and realistic.

Lot # S42 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N 194675S123365; Engine # 5123365; Goldwood Yellow/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $62,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $68,200 – 327/300hp, 4-speed, centerlock alloy wheels, red line tires, hardtop, woodrim steering wheel, power windows. – Represented as matching numbers. NCRS Top Flight and Duntov Mark of Excellence awards. Very clean, correctly restored engine bay. Very good paint and chrome. The rocker trim has a few light scratches. Very good lightly worn interior. A fully restored show quality `65 with awards to prove it, but no longer super fresh and nothing all that exciting in terms of equipment. – A deservedly strong result for a car that has show awards to speak to its quality even if the restoration is a little older and the drivetrain is ordinary.

Lot # F156 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N 194677S106856; Engine # 7106856; Marlboro Maroon, Black stinger/Saddle leather; Black top; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $100,000 – 427/435hp L71 Tri-Power, 4-speed, turbine alloy wheels, red line tires, WonderBar radio. – Represented as matching numbers. A little grime in the engine bay but it was fully restored at some point. Lightly scratched but not terrible bumpers. A few scratches by the right fender vents and a few more on the tail but mostly good paint. Very good interior. Good engine, neat colors and plenty of eyeball, just not exquisite. Better for driving enjoyment than the show field. – This is much too weak a high bid for a fundamentally good car, so it’s more than fair to hold out for more at this number.

Lot # F157 1986 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible; S/N 1G1YY6786G5904614; Yellow, Pace Car graphics/Gray leather; Black top; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $15,000 – 350/230hp, Pace Car graphics, 4-speed. – Represented with 15,822 believable miles. Light wrinkling to the seats and a little dirt and dust in the engine bay, but otherwise looks new. – All ’86 convertibles came with pace car graphics, it was just up to the owner whether to apply them or not. The reported high bid was a bit light for one this clean, but not by much, and with the fees involved in taking a car worth this little to auction it probably would have made more sense to just take the offer on the table.

Lot # F155.1 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe; S/N 30837S117416; Ermine White/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $80,000 – 327/300hp, 4-speed, centerlock alloy wheels, red line tires. – Good chrome. Small crack near the right headlight door. Otherwise good older paint. Very clean engine bay, slightly uneven gaps. Very good interior. An older restored Split Window with very little to pick on even if it isn’t a show car. – This is a better car than the reported high bid, but not by a lot. “Split Window” ’63s are avidly sought, often far beyond their inherent importance. The consignor here ascribed a Big Difference to an ordinary ’63 Split Window and ended up taking it home. This was a serious offer and could have been taken with only minimal second thoughts.

Lot # F154.1 1961 Chevrolet Corvette FI Convertible; S/N 10867S107381; Jewel Blue, White coves/Blue vinyl; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $97,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $107,250 – 283/315hp Fuelie, 4-speed, spinner wheel covers, whitewalls, hardtop, power windows, WonderBar radio, heat and defrost. – Tidy and lightly used restored engine bay. Good older paint and chrome. Even gaps. Very good interior. Well and fully restored, just not done yesterday. Lots of very desirable equipment. – A top-spec ’61 with desirable features, this car could have brought a few more bids without being expensive but the seller can still be satisfied with a solid result.

Lot # F158 1998 Chevrolet Corvette Indy Pace Car Convertible; S/N 1G1YY32G2W5119891; Pace Car Purple, Yellow graphics/Yellow; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $24,000 – 346/345hp, 6-speed, CD stereo. – Several chips and scratches on the nose. Some significant wrinkling to the seats, more than the 9,061 miles represented would suggest. Still nearly like new, though. – These cars are almost fascinatingly hideous, but they are collectible and good ones can certainly bring over 30 grand, so holding out for more at this reported high bid was understandable.

Lot # F159 2007 Chevrolet Corvette Indy Pace Car Convertible; S/N 1G1YY36U575128537; Atomic Orange, Pace Car graphics/Black leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $31,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $34,650 – 5,927/400hp LS2, automatic, Eagle F1 tires, 500 Festival sticker on the windshield, air conditioning. power top, Power steering, brakes, locks, mirrors and seats, tilt steering columns, cruise control. – An actual Indy 500 Festival car used for the event. Represented with 2,827 miles and looks pretty much new, as it should. – Lavishly equipped and documented, with negligible miles, this is a choice Camaro and with its low miles is a solid collector car, even with a few more miles than the 2,827 it has today.

Lot # S95 1969 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible; S/N 194679S710164; Fathom Green/Green vinyl; Black top; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $500,000 – 427/430hp, L88, M22 4-speed, J56 brakes, transistor ignition, two tops, Rally wheels, red line tires, 4.56 Positraction. – Drag raced in the 1970s. Restored in the 1980s. Well-kept older paint, chrome, interior and very clean engine bay. Just light general wear, nothing really to pick on. Bloomington Gold Special Collection, fully known history and the real deal. – Reported sold at Kissimmee in 2014 for $550,800, then hammered not sold at Indy in 2016 at a $500,000 and not sold again at Mecum Monterey later that year on the same reported bid. Even though the restoration is older, the car has no serious needs and it’s surprising that the offers have been so modest but they are consistent which is telling.

Lot # F156.1 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Coupe; S/N 1Z8748S902792; Black, Silver/Silver; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $23,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $25,850 – 350/220hp L82, automatic, Goodyear tires, power windows, pushbutton AM-FM radio, air conditioning, power steering and brakes, glass T-tops – Showing 9,477 miles. Very clean recently detailed engine bay. Fairly tired and detail scratched paint with some small chips at the back of the doors. Very good nearly like new interior, not the best or the lowest mile `79 Pace Car out there, but still very well preserved. – The Dallas bidders seem to have paid more attention to the flaws and age on this car than the low odometer reading, because this is a fairly low price compared to what others have been selling for recently. Optimists loaded up on ’78 Pace Cars as instant collectibles. The Pace Cars haven’t panned out, if only because there are so many of them with negligible miles. The seller should be happy with this result.

Lot # F83 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Country Club Coupe; S/N FAA486174; Green, Brown roof and wood sides/Tan cloth; Older restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $27,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $29,700 – Hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, dual mirrors, windshield visor, fog lights, column shift 3-speed, pushbutton radio, dash clock, heater, grille guard. – Good older paint, although the brown part has some uneven finish. Older tires. Pretty rough-looking exhaust. Big scratches on the left side of the rear bumper but mostly sound chrome and brightwork. Very good wood. Good mostly restored interior. A few chips on the steel wheels. Light road wear underneath, but clean and restored. A well-equipped and fundamentally very attractive car, just aged from post-restoration use. – A collector could pay three or four times this money for a comparable Woodie coupe from Ford or Chrysler but on a show field this Chevy Fleetmaster Country Club will be rare if not unique. It is a serious value at this price, even if it is obscure.

Lot # S121.1 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS Convertible; S/N 21867L208877; Engine # WN61301414; Tuxedo Black/Red vinyl with Red and Black striped cloth inserts; Red top; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $87,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $96,250 – 409/409hp, 4-speed, hub caps, Silvertown blackwall tires, boot cover, Positraction, power steering, power brakes, bucket seats, console, floor shift, column-mounted tach, radio, rear seat speaker. – Lots of great equipment. Fantastic show quality engine bay that looks totally factory. Very good older paint and chrome. Very good interior, restored other than the original dash and gauges. Not a super fresh car and looks like it didn’t leave the factory with all this equipment, but it’s a like new car. – Sold for $110,160 at Kruse Auburn 2006. Stumbled at Auburn Fall in 2013 at a high bid of $77,000, but sold at Leake Dallas two months later for $97,900. It hasn’t gone very far since then but even in the absence of build sheets isn’t shabby at this result. A sweet weekend driver, but an expensive one in the absence of documentation.

Lot # T46.1 1972 Datsun 240Z Coupe; S/N HLS3070332; Orange/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $23,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $25,300 – 4-speed, alloy wheels, store brand tires, factory pushbutton radio. – Fairly dull original paint with cracks and crazing on the hood and tail. Dull but not bad chrome and brightwork. Fantastically preserved interior, although the seats look like they may have been redone. Dry and tidy but original underneath. A mostly original unmolested Z-Car that is showing its age but has been clearly well cared for since day one. – The price is a fair balance between the level of preservation and the wear that is showing. A straightforward result for both parties.

Lot # F130 1968 Dodge Coronet R/T 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N WS23L8G195555; Dark Green, Green vinyl roof/Green vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $27,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $30,250 – 440/375hp Magnum, automatic, Radial T/A tires, bucket seats, console, floor shift, factory AM radio. – Represented as matching numbers. Pretty tired original chrome. Not very good older respray with uneven finish and orange peel in spots. Good newer roof vinyl. Good original interior with light general wear on the console and switchgear. Tidy underneath. The chassis looks like it got undercoating at some point. Never fully restored but not totally original either. A decent driver. – And it brought “decent driver” money in a transaction that is fair to both the buyer and the seller.

Lot # S85 1970 Dodge Coronet Super Bee 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N WM23V0G155059; Sublime/White vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $77,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $84,700 – 440/390hp Six Pack, 4-speed, Polyglas GT tires, Track Pak, 3.54 Sure Grip, bucket seats, Hurst pistol grip shifter, factory radio. – Date coded block and a Hemi 4-speed. Supposedly restored 300 miles ago but way back in 2000. Lightly scratched bumpers. Very good paint other than a long crack behind the passenger’s window. The passenger’s door sticks out a bit. Very clean underneath and very good interior. Fully redone, but done a while ago and no longer fresh even if it hasn’t been used much. – Sold here three years ago for $70,400 when it had 187 fewer miles on the odometer and was suitably closer to showroom condition. The seller should be happy with this result.

Lot # F222 1969 Dodge Dart GT Convertible; S/N LP27D9B120590; Red/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $24,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $26,400 – 273/190hp 2-barrel engine with different heads and 4-barrel intake, automatic, trim rings, Radial T/A tires, power steering, power top, bench seat, column shift, Sunpro tach and under dash gauges, pushbutton radio. – Represented as matching numbers, even if the numbers don’t match its present configuration. Very clean recently detailed engine bay. A little bit of dirt and wear to the underbody. Good older paint and chrome. Some light wear and scratches to the body side trim. Very good newer top. Fairly tired steering wheel and gauges, but the seats and carpets are replaced and very fresh. Restored to good enough standards for what it is. Not perfect, but better than most Darts out there. – With this sale and a similar $23,650 here two years ago, this car has two consistent and appropriate results to show for itself.

Lot # S82.1 2002 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe; S/N 1B3ER69E72V102920; Viper Red, White stripes/Black; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $72,000 – 488/450hp, 6-speed, air conditioning, power windows. – 260 miles and like new. Still has the window sticker. – For 2002, the last 360 Vipers built were called the “Final Edition” cars, but it was mostly just a cosmetic treatment with special paint and interior stitching. This one hammered not sold at a $60,000 high bid in Kissimmee this year, and here in Dallas sold for pretty much exactly its original MSRP, almost to the dollar, which makes one wonder why anyone would bother keeping such a fun car locked away if it’s still going to cost money in the long run anyway. It could have been sold without regret for the result reported here.

Lot # S33 1996 Dodge Viper RT/10 Convertible; S/N 1B3BR65E6TV100179; Commemorative Edition White, Blue stripes/Black leather; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $24,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $26,400 – 488/425hp, 5-speed, Kumho tires, hardtop, CD stereo. – A few rock chips and generally faded paint on the nose. The wheels are a little beat up but not bad. The stripes on the hardtop are faded. Light wear on the seats. A lightly used RT/10, but a used one nonetheless showing 44,762 believable miles. – Like new early Vipers have been getting very strong prices at auction this year, but more heavily used ones continue to sell more modestly and still offer tons of performance per dollar, as this result shows.

Lot # S84 2000 Dodge Viper RT/10 Convertible; S/N 1B3ER65E4YV604833; Viper Steel Gray/Black leather; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $45,000 – 488/450hp, 6-speed, hardtop, power windows, Alpine stereo. – Late RT/10. 1,600 miles and like new. – Low-mile early Vipers have been doing very well at auction lately and particularly at Mecum sales, which probably explains why more and more of them are being consigned. The reported high bid here was worth considering, though, and could have seen the car change hands. With this mileage it is probably not going to see much use and this is a realistic offer for a piece of garage art.

Lot # S32.1 1973 Dodge W200 Adventurer Pickup; S/N W24BF38169882; Aqua, White/Black vinyl; Truck restoration, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $9,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $10,450 – 360/180hp, automatic, roof lights, power steering, power brakes, floor shift, Pioneer cassette stereo. – Slightly dirty but mostly restored engine bay and underbody. Mostly very good paint, but there are quite a few suspicious-looking blisters along the rockers and bottoms of the doors. Some popped seams in the seats, but the mostly original interior is otherwise quite well kept. A basic restoration done on a budget, but a charming truck that is absolutely impossible to miss in these colors. – Its condition won’t win any show field awards but its rarity and presence will get plenty of attention, and then it’s not so good it can’t stop off for some plywood and 2x4s on the way home. A largely sound, utilitarian and unusual truck with eye-appeal for weekend driver money.

Lot # S168 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Coupe; S/N ZFFFC60A270150619; Rosso Corsa/Tan leather piped in Red; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $142,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $156,750 – Potenza tires, Daytona-style seats. – Represented with paint protection film and with 3,000 miles. New tires and recent service. Looks new. – This was a nearly $300,000 car when it was new 10 years ago, so it’s still in used car territory. This price was in line with what other ones are currently going for.

Lot # S109 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner Retractable Hardtop; S/N C7FW387933; Light Green, Dark Gray/Light Green vinyl, Dark Green cloth; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $82,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $90,750 – 292/212hp, automatic, wire wheels, whitewalls, pushbutton radio, dash clock, air conditioning, power windows. – Spotless fresh engine bay and underbody. A good size scratch on the front bumper but otherwise excellent paint and chrome. Straight body with even panel gaps. Excellent fully restored interior. A fresh and gorgeous car. – This is a notably generous price, even in this commendable condition, for this Skyliner’s drivetrain and should have been enough to get at least a 245hp 312 under the hood.

Lot # S52 1963 Ford Galaxie 500 XL Fastback; S/N 3D68R150047; Black/Red vinyl; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $70,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $77,000 – 427/425hp R-Code engine, 4-speed, spinner wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, bucket seats, console, pushbutton radio, dash clock, heat and defrost. – Small crack at the front of the hood. Lightly faded older paint otherwise. Dull window frames and brightwork. Good older chrome other than some scratches on the rear bumper. Tidy and restored underneath. Good, lightly worn interior. Represented as a restored genuine R-Code car, it ticks the right boxes equipment-wise but its condition leaves a lot to be desired. – The $50,000 high bid that this car got at Mecum Houston earlier this year was on the low end, while this result is pretty expensive considering the condition..

Lot # S104 2005 Ford GT Coupe; S/N 1FAFP90S95Y400018; Black/Black; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $265,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $291,500 – McIntosh stereo. – 1,197 miles and like new. – With just one of the only four options that distinguish Ford GTs from each other selected, this car isn’t exactly a prime one and its objectively very low mileage is no better than average in the world of these never-driven supercars. The result here seems a little modest, but makes sense. So many GTs were loaded with all four options that one without most of them stands out.

Lot # S107 2006 Ford GT Coupe; S/N 1FAFP90S26Y401206; Speed Yellow, Black stripes/Black; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $255,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $280,500 – All four options. – 1,165 miles and like new. – A Mecum auction is never without a Ford GT or three, and this car was just in Harrisburg with the exact same represented mileage. It sold for $302,500. Neither result is unreasonable, but that was an expensive two months of ownership. Somewhere between Harrisburg and Dallas $22,000 disappeared.

Lot # S69 2017 Ford GT Coupe; S/N 2FAGP9CW9HH200077; Liquid Blue/Black; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $1,200,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $1,320,000 – — Previously owned by John Cena. Like new with 626 miles. – New GT buyers had to agree not to sell the car for 24 months, but Cena sold this one almost right away, and after a settlement in court the car has made a flurry of auction appearances over the past several months, reported sold for $1.54M at Russo and Steele in Monterey and then listed again soon after. Both of the results, along with the $1.815M a different one sold for at Indy a few months back, are well above the original $450,000 list price. But given the limited production, the cachet of the Ford GT name and legal issues involved in buying and selling one, these prices aren’t too surprising. Paying $1.5 million in August and accepting less than $1.2 million after commissions in October is a hard way to make money unless the difference is being written off as advertising and promotion by some entity.

Lot # T112 1993 Ford Mustang 5.0 LX Convertible; S/N 1FACP445PF167568; Vibrant White/White leather; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $10,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $11,000 – 302/205hp, 5-speed, Tiger Paw tires, rear spoiler, boot cover, Hurst shifter, power windows, air conditioning, factory cassette stereo. – One of the all-white Special Edition models with a special spoiler that Ford introduced to combat slowing Mustang sales. Showing 41,707 believable miles. Sound original paint, lightly faded and with a touch up on the left front. Rusty screws holding on the vent behind the hood. Discoloration on the boot cover. Significant cracking in the front seats but the rest of the interior looks quite good. Tidy with light road wear underneath. A lightly used and attention-grabbing late Fox-body, but a used car nonetheless. – The ultra-low-mile Fox-bodies are the cars that bring the big bucks, and although this is a somewhat noteworthy Special Edition car, its used condition means that the 11 grand paid for it here is the appropriate number.

Lot # S112 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 SportsRoof; S/N 9F02Z164769; Black Jade/Black vinyl; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $375,000 – 429/375hp, 4-speed, Polyglas GT tires, 3.91 Traction-Lok, front spoiler, Philco radio. – Represented as unrestored with 14,394 actual miles. The engine bay looks overhauled with plenty of new parts, belts and hoses. Small crack behind the right window and some microblisters on the tail, but otherwise the paint and the chrome look almost too good to be original. Fantastic original interior. There are restored Boss 429s that aren’t this good. – It almost wouldn’t be a Mecum auction without a Boss 429 that fails to meet reserve, and this is one we’ve seen a few times already. It was reported sold at Indy in 2015 for a magnanimous $502,220, then hammered not sold at a $400,000 high bid at Monterey in 2016 and again at a $380,000 high bid at Indy this year. Consistent, high and fair offers, all refused. The search goes on, but with less and less likelihood of finding the right combination of setting and bidders. Look for it at Kissimmee.

Lot # T48 1991 GMC Syclone 1/2 Ton Pickup; S/N 1GDCT14Z8M8800504; Black/Black cloth piped in Red; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $25,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $27,500 – 262/280hp turbocharged V6, automatic, alloy wheels, cassette stereo, power windows, air conditioning. – Unrestored, showing 18,600 miles and, while not quite showroom fresh, has no real flaws or needs. – Syclones and Typhoons were a bit ahead of the curve in terms of the growth in the vintage truck market, and prices have been essentially flat for well over a year. Good low-mile examples continue to bring pretty strong prices, though, as this result shows.

Lot # W159 1962 Imperial Crown Southampton 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N 9223231308; Blue/White leather; Unrestored original, 4+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $7,150 – Wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, pushbutton transmission, pushbutton radio. – Tired original paint with numerous chips and scratches throughout. Grimy, rough looking unrestored engine bay. Dull chrome. Lightly cracking seats. No major rust underneath. Sound dash and gauges. Worth saving, but a tired car. – Chrysler abandoned tailfins on the 1962 Imperials, so they’re less exciting to look at than the earlier cars. This one is also a sedan, and it will probably never be worth enough to give it the kind of restoration work it needs and make any kind of financial sense. Bought for a low price, but not really any less than it deserves.

Lot # S126 1965 Jaguar XKE SI 4.2 Coupe; S/N 1E30327; Opalescent Dark Green/Black leather; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $105,000 – 4-speed, chrome centerlock wire wheels, Pirelli tires, modern aluminum radiator, Pertronix ignition, Borla exhaust, woodrim steering wheel. – A few aftermarket bits and the chassis has been painted body color, but nothing too far from factory. Clean lightly used engine bay. Very good blemish-free paint other than a small bubble on the right rear. Good chrome. A few light scratches on the rear glass. The doors stick out at the bottom. Very good interior. Not a JCNA show car with these flaws and not quite factory presentation, but it’s had a ton put into it and it would be good for someone who wants a gorgeous 4.2-liter E-Type for driving enjoyment. – It’s hard to argue with the seller’s decision to keep this very good XKE at this bid, but also hard to argue with the bidders’ decision to stop here. It could have changed hands, especially if Mecum had thrown a little of the BP to the seller to sweeten the deal.

Lot # T108 1973 Jaguar XKE SIII V12 Coupe 2+2; S/N UD1S74528BW; Black/Brown leather; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $34,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $37,950 – Automatic, chrome wire wheels, store brand tires, aftermarket leather-wrapped steering wheel, Pioneer CD stereo, air conditioning. – Dull, lightly scratched bumpers. Several large scratches on the right front fender and several lighter scratches, touch ups and scuffs throughout the rest of the older paint. Mostly good, lightly worn interior. A little dirty underneath but not bad. A V-12 automatic 2+2 coupe is just about the cheapest way to get into an E-Type, and this car seems to have never been treated like a high-dollar collectible. – A pretty much spot on result for its condition and the 2+2 body, and the knock to value for the automatic is pretty much canceled out by a premium for factory air and wire wheels.

Lot # T141 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata Convertible; S/N JM1NA3513L0132566; Classic Red/Black cloth; Black vinyl top; Visually maintained, largely original, 2 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $7,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $8,250 – Katana alloy wheels, Cooper tires, limited slip, air conditioning, cassette stereo. – Showing 119,603 miles but there are first gen Miatas out there with half as many miles that are worse. Other than the wheels, it looks bone stock. Good repaint with a chip on the right headlight door. Dull weather stripping. A fair bit of maintenance done underneath with new stock exhaust. Light wear to the seats but mostly very well kept interior. NA Miatas can take a beating and most of them have, but this one has clearly been pampered by a caring owner who also enjoyed it on a regular basis. – Clean unmolested early Miatas have a future in terms of collectability because there aren’t many left and because they are great cars that a lot of people have an attachment to. They’re still very affordable, though, and the Dallas bidders wisely weren’t put off too much by this one’s high mileage and afforded it a fair price, all things considered. It will be a delight to drive.

Lot # S189 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R Coupe; S/N WDDYJ7KA5JA018106; Green Hell Magno/Black; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $140,000 – Pilot Sport tires. – Like new, and it pretty much is. – The paint looks more oil Sheikh than Nürburgring, but it’s the signature color of this model, which sells new for a little under 200 grand. This isn’t a Mercedes dealer, though. It’s an auction, and while the seller may have expected this car to be an instant collectible that goes for more than MSRP right off the bat, that’s not how it worked out this time.

Lot # S136 2006 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Coupe; S/N WDDAJ76F86M000955; Silver/Red, Black; Unrestored original, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $200,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $220,000 – Pilot Sport tires, dual-zone climate control. – 4,666 miles and like new. – Not sold at a hammer bid of $235,000 at Mecum Houston last year, when it had the exact same represented miles. It also hammered not sold at a $220,000 bid in Kissimmee a few months before that. These cars are still trading well below their original price and certainly way less than their peers like the Carrera GT and Enzo. The price here was modest, but the market has spoken and the seller finally got the message.

Lot # F80 1967 Mercury Cougar 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 7F91C616841; Burgundy, Black vinyl roof/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $14,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $15,400 – 289/200hp, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, power steering, power brakes, factory air conditioning, factory AM radio, Deluxe Marti Report. – Tired and lightly scratched original chrome. Fairly rough older paint with a fair number of microblisters. Good roof vinyl. Very good interior. A little rough and oxidized underneath. A mostly unrestored driver, but it wouldn’t take too much to get this first year Cougar right. – A basic but well maintained highly original Cougar, bought for a realistic price with a small premium for its preservation.

Lot # S88.1 1960 Mercury Park Lane Convertible; S/N 0Z55M506441; Javelin Bronze Metallic/Bronze vinyl; Black cloth top; Recent restoration, 1 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $130,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $143,000 – 430/310hp, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, fender skirts, power steering, power brakes, power windows, factory air conditioning, pushbutton radio. – Excellent fully restored engine bay. Excellent paint and chrome. Perfect new top. Gorgeous interior. No faults anywhere. A fresh show car in superb condition and eye-candy colors. – Sold at Auburn Fall last year for $86,900 and again this year for a spectacular $115,000 at Mecum Monterey. It’s the best of its kind and anyone bidding on it recently certainly seems to recognize that, but this price is a bit excessive.

Lot # S99 1964 Mercury Park Lane Marauder 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 4W67R538982; Peacock Blue, White roof/White vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $61,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $67,100 – Dual quad 427/425hp, 4-speed, wheel covers, whitewalls, bucket seats, console, floor shift, pushbutton radio. – Tidy partially restored engine bay with what is represented as the original 427. Sound and unrestored but maintained underbody. Decent older repaint. Sound but slightly dull original brightwork. Tired interior with pitted trim and worn seats with a few popped seams. Cracks in the dash top and rough carpets as well. A rare Marauder that is mostly unrestored, but not really good enough to enjoy as is. – The buyers fixated on the R-Code 427, the 4-speed and the originality to give this Marauder a strong price that minimized recognition of its condition. It will clean up well and with some attention to the interior and a lot of detailing it might even bring more than this.

Lot # W72 1976 MG Midget Mk IV Convertible; S/N GAN6UG179329G; White, Red stripe/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Enthusiast restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $6,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $7,150 – Painted centerlock wire wheels, narrow whitewalls, custom seats with red stitching, Pioneer CD stereo. – A `76 Midget with the 1500 engine, but the restorer mercifully yanked off the ungainly rubber bumpers, lowered the suspension and fitted a custom mesh grille along with wire wheels. Otherwise, it’s mostly stock and a tasteful job. Very good paint with a handful of chips on the door edges. Mostly restored and clean underneath. Excellent tight-fitting new top and restored frame. Excellent interior with new upholstery and carpets as well as clear gauges. A handsome little car that has had far more put into it than most late Midgets ever get. – A technically not factory correct but tastefully done little car, this is about the kind of money that other decent Midgets tend to go for. With the visual improvements, though, this seems like a pretty good value compared to other rubber bumper 56hp Midgets on the market.

Lot # T127 1938 MG TA Roadster; S/N TA1905; Red, Burgundy/Black leather; Enthusiast restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $26,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $29,150 – Painted centerlock wire wheels, badge bar, wood dash, Jaeger gauges, banjo steering wheel. – Rebuilt non-original engine. Top included but not fitted. Decent fresh respray with orange peel on the fenders and tops of the doors. Clean and mostly restored underbody. Very good fresh interior with no wear. Represented as restored last year, it’s an attractive and charming little car in addition to having the notoriety of being a prewar T-Series, but it was done on a budget. – Sold for about what a much more common postwar TC in this condition would expect to bring, this TA seems like a pretty solid value, if only for its rarity and status as the root of the T-series tree.

Lot # F90.1 1953 Nash-Healey LeMans Coupe, Body by Pinin Farina; S/N NHA1275; Gold, Beige/Beige; Visually maintained, largely original, 3 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $60,000 – 253/140hp, 3-speed, wire wheel covers, dual mirrors, banjo steering wheel, pushbutton radio, dash clock. – Small dent in the left front fender. Chips around the edges of the hood. More chips around the edges of the doors. Tired chrome and brightwork. Dull gauges. The interior courtesy light is cracked and hanging loose. Decent upholstery. Newer exhaust. Some overspray in the wheel wells. Mostly unrestored underneath. An inherently handsome car and certainly rare, but these colors don’t really do the Pinin Farina coupe bodywork justice and the condition is disappointing. – Detailed a bit but not significantly improved since its appearance at Mecum Monterey back in August, when it hammered not sold at a $70,000 bid. The consignor has a rare and significant car, but Nash-Healeys aren’t necessarily worth a ton of money and the bidders at two of Mecum’s biggest sales have spoken. It’s time to let the car go at a realistic money bid.

Lot # T140 1990 Nissan 300ZX Turbo T-Roof; S/N JN1CZ24A5LX005761; Black/Black; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $12,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $13,750 – 5-speed, alloy wheels, T-tops, later Alpine stereo, power windows, air conditioning. – Represented with 61,000 believable miles. A few small rock chips on the hood and nose but mostly very good original paint. Some light wear on the seats but the rest of the interior is very good. Clean and lightly used underneath. Seemingly unmodified and well maintained, which is not something that can be said of most Z32s, including the Turbos. – Arguably pretty undervalued compared to its peers like the twin-turbo Mazda RX-7 and Toyota Supra, the 300ZX Turbo still offers a lot of car for the money, but prices have been on the way up. This was a pretty good deal considering the way things are moving. Worse ones have sold for more money.

Lot # T185 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Hurst/Olds Pace Car 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 3J57U2M215594; White, Hurst graphics/Black vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $22,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $24,200 – 455/275hp, automatic, Radial T/A tires, sunroof, 3.23 axle, Rally suspension, dual gate shifter. – Older repaint with two chips on the left front fender. Good chrome. Scratched up rear glass. Paint cracks through the drip rails. Well-kept and detailed original interior. Tidy and original underneath. Pretty much all original other than paint and chrome, in solid driver condition. – After this sale it went in search of a flip, no-saling at Chicago three weeks later on a $24,000 bid, then selling at Las Vegas three weeks after that for $23,500 hammer, $25,850 with the vig, as the consignor realized that mid-Twenties is a reasonable value and there isn’t more in the offing no matter how many times it is offered.

Lot # S45 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible; S/N 616K01248; Blue/Silver leather; White vinyl top; Cosmetic restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $27,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $30,250 – 394/330hp, automatic, wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, dual mirrors, Autronic Eye, bucket seats, console shift, tach, WonderBar radio, factory air conditioning. – Fairly tired, possibly original chrome. Lightly faded older repaint with a few chips and scratches here and there, the body side trim is scratched up in places. Very good new top. Very good newer upholstery. The rest of the interior is original and a little tired. A little dirty but maintained underneath. A cool car, exciting for Oldsmobile folks, but condition-wise just a driver. – Even in this condition, however, the inherent value of a ’61 Starfire is more than the price it brought here and the new owner went home with a good value and some money left to address some of the cosmetic needs, or just drive it for a while and turn it over for about what is in it today.

Lot # S92 1939 Packard Super Eight Convertible Coupe; S/N 12792107; Cream/Red leather; Black cloth top; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $60,000 – Hub caps and trim rings, wide whitewalls, dual enclosed sidemount spares, cormorant mascot, amber fog lights, badge bar, luggage rack, dash clock, column shift, overdrive. – CCCA Full Classic (TM). A few big cracks at the bottom of the grille. A few chips on the spare wheel covers. A few long cracks on the tail. The rest of the paint still shines well even if it is older. Worn running boards. Very small dent in the rear bumper. Uneven gaps. Lightly worn switchgear and steering wheel as well as some light wrinkling on the seats but mostly very good interior. Tidy underneath. A lot of eyeball in these colors and a lot of desirable equipment, but very far from a show car. Looks like it has been regularly enjoyed, and it would still be well suited to driving events. – It was offered at Branson Spring in 2016 where it brought an $80,000 bid, then again at the same venue earlier this year where it was bid to $65,000. It’s easy to spot the trend and the consignor needs to get ahead of the curve and take a money bid in this range.

Lot # F17 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II Convertible; S/N RH27B61139788; Red/Black vinyl; Black vinyl top; Modified restoration, 3 condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $12,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $13,200 – 318/230hp replacing the original 225/145hp six, automatic, power steering, bucket seats, floor shift, console, tach, pushbutton radio. – Average quality older repaint with a fair number of flaws. Tired, lightly scratched up original chrome and brightwork. Good older replacement top and frame. Sound original interior with some pitting on the console and dulled switchgear. Solid but a bit dirty underneath. A maintained, basic cruiser. – A pretty fair price considering the condition and that this car was born with a 6-cylinder (according to the “B” in the VIN), but also pretty modest when you compare it to the expensive $23,100 it sold for at Spring Auburn in 2014. It is a wonder that someone went to all the effort to swap out the six and then put in a 318 instead of at least a 383.

Lot # T249 1969 Plymouth GTX 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N RS23L9G147900; Avocado Green, Black stripes/Green vinyl; Visually maintained, largely original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $41,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $45,100 – 440/375hp Magnum, automatic, Radial T/A tires, bucket seats, console, floor shift, factory radio. – Very good older paint and chrome other than a small scratch on the driver’s door. Very well kept original interior other than some cracks in the steering wheel and a large crack in the console. Very clean and maintained underneath but not restored. Babied and never restored because it never needed to be, but not factory original, either. – The condition is kind of a letdown, but the powertrain is positive. The bidders reached a reasonable consensus between the two with this bid and the seller prudently accepted their judgment.

Lot # S180 1946 Plymouth Special Deluxe Club Coupe; S/N 157602111548464; Red/Gray cloth; Enthusiast restoration, 4+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $7,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $7,700 – 218/95hp six, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, hood ornament, column shift 3-speed. – Awful ancient repaint that was cheap to begin with. Sound but old chrome and brightwork. Erratic panel fit. Good older restored interior. Clean chassis that got undercoating at some point relatively recently. A decent paint job would make all the difference in the world on this otherwise neat and honest driver. Also stands out as a Plymouth among all the other Fords and Chevys. – Not much interest was shown for this car, but at this price the new owner has a neat little driver and plenty of money left over for the fresh paint that it desperately needs.

Lot # F116 1957 Pontiac Bonneville FI Convertible; S/N P857H36313; White, Red/Red, White leather; White vinyl top; Recent restoration, 2+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $135,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $148,500 – 347/317hp fuel injection, automatic, wheel covers, whitewalls, WonderBar radio, dash clock, power windows, power steering, power brakes, power bench seat. – Very clean fully restored engine bay. Very good paint and chrome. Even gaps. Very good fully restored interior. A really good and well equipped car, restored to the standards it deserves. – Bid to $120,000 at the GAA auction in March and turned over here at a still-modest price for its condition and rarity. The FI Bonnevilles were very limited production in 1957 and their FI systems had problems which resulted in many being converted to 4-barrel or Tri-Power intake. That makes a good one like this particularly rare and it could have brought more without being expensive.

Lot # S91.1 1955 Pontiac Chieftain 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N K755H28845; Beaumont Blue, Polo White/Gray cloth; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $11,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $12,650 – 287/173hp, automatic, hub caps, Goodyear whitewalls, dual mirrors, pushbutton radio. – Sound but older paint and chrome. Touch up on the right front. Slightly uneven gaps. Dull and scratched headlight bezels. Fully restored underneath with light road wear. Scratched up rear glass. Very good fully restored interior. A fully redone, correct and attractive car, but showing its age. – A seriously mundane Pontiac sedan that exemplifies the stodgy Pontiac before Bunkie Knudsen showed up on 1956 and transformed it into the performance and design titan of the late 50’s and 60’s. The time and money put into this one’s restoration was far more than the entirely appropriate price it brought here.

Lot # S46.1 1967 Pontiac GTO 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 242077Z117327; Montego Cream, Signet Gold roof/Gold vinyl; Older restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $37,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $40,700 – 400/335hp, automatic, Rally wheels, red line tires, Safe-T-Trac, bucket seats, console, dual gate shifter, factory radio, power steering, power brakes. – Represented as matching numbers. Very good mostly restored engine bay. Good but not show quality paint and chrome. Lightly scratched up window frames. Lightly worn seat belts and some scratches on the trim but mostly very good restored interior. Redone relatively recently, but on a budget. These colors are unusual, but they work. – After selling for $38,500 at Mecum Harrisburg earlier this year, it appeared again at Mecum Louisville only a month later and hammered not sold at a $35,000 high bid. The result here in Dallas was appropriate, but if it was an attempt at a flip, it was an unsuccessful one, costing the consignor several thousand dollars after commissions, entry fees and transportation. In this market it might be possible to engineer a successful short term resale, but not by toting a car from auction to similar auction.

Lot # S102 1961 Pontiac Ventura 2-Dr. Hardtop; S/N 561P4534; Bristol Blue/Blue; Older restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $95,000 – 389/348hp Tri-Power, 4-speed, eight-lug wheels, whitewalls, power steering, tinted glass, WonderBar radio, bucket seats, floor shift, column-mounted tach, PHS documents. – AACA Senior. Represented as PHS documented Tri-Power. Very clean but not overly restored engine bay. Light detail scratches but mostly very good older paint and chrome. Tiny, tiny dent in the right rear fender. Sound original dash and gauges, but otherwise fully restored interior. Clean and lightly used underneath. A rarely seen `61 Ventura, loaded with lots of good options and quite well restored. – A great car that is sure to excite any Pontiac fan who sees it, this Ventura deserves a high price. It has already gotten two very strong offers, however, with a $90,000 high bid at Indy in the spring and a $95,000 bid here in Dallas. Either one could have seen the car change hands without a second thought. The consignor’s sights are set way too high.

Lot # S82 1962 Porsche 356B Coupe; S/N 210345; Black/Red; Older restoration, 3 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $96,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $105,600 – Kumho tires, Lucas fog lights, sunroof, luggage rack, Nardi woodrim steering wheel, Blaupunkt pushbutton radio. – Clean, lightly used engine bay with a little fuel on the carbs. Pretty tired old paint with a few cracks on the passenger’s side and one on the roof. Original windshield with slightly cloudy glass and a cracking gasket. Lightly scratched rear glass as well. Very good, lightly worn interior. An older restoration in driver condition. – This much money should have bought a much more freshly restored example and is expensive.

Lot # S22 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe; S/N WP0AC2993TS375947; White/Tan leather; Unrestored original, 2- condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $127,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $140,250 – Red calipers, P Zero tires, Turbo Twist wheels, factory cassette stereo. – Three big gouges in the middle of the nose and a few chips behind the right headlight. Otherwise very good original paint. Lightly worn seats but very well kept interior. Showing 31,739 miles and mostly pampered in typical 911 fashion. – Sold at no reserve, this was a pretty modest price for a nearly like new 993 Turbo, especially since it sold for $198,000 at Mecum Monterey in 2015 and got a $205,000 high bid at Hollywood Wheels Amelia two years ago. 993 prices have settled down a bit, but this seems like a really good buy.

Lot # S27 1987 Porsche 911 Turbo 930 Coupe; S/N WP0JB0939HS050407; Guards Red/Black leather; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; No Reserve; Hammered Sold at $77,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $85,250 – Fuchs wheels, Michelin tires, snorkely brake light, cassette stereo. – Represented with service records. Several scratches and chips on the nose and front bumper. The paint on the roof is a little faded. The exterior rubber is a little dull as well. Well-kept interior. A little dirty but not bad underneath. The odometer reads 26,392, and although this isn’t a bad car, there are 930s with twice as many miles that have been better kept than this. – 930 prices have steadily declined since their explosive surge upward in 2015, but this was nevertheless a surprisingly weak result for a low-mile maintained car, especially one that hammered not sold at a $120,000 high bid at Hollywood Wheels Amelia Island two years ago. This car could have brought six figures without being expensive.

Lot # S169 1985 Rolls-Royce Corniche I Drophead Coupe; S/N SCAZD0008FCX10080; White/Cream leather; Cream top; Unrestored original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Not sold at Hammer bid of $47,500 – Alloy wheels, narrow whitewalls, boot cover, power windows, air conditioning, Blaupunkt cassette stereo. – Used but very tidy and maintained engine bay. Good original paint and brightwork aside from a crack behind the passenger’s door and a handful of chips around the door edges. Small crack in the left taillight. Significant wear and a few light cracks in the front seat as well as a few smudges on the rear seat. The dash top is peeling back at the front right by the windshield. A few cracks in the wood on top of the doors as well. Showing 12,906 miles and has extensive service records which is always a good sign, but it’s still a used Rolls and far from perfect. – As standard ’80s Rolls-Royces go, the Corniche is pretty much the most stylish as well as the most valuable, but this one is tired and isn’t worth any more than the reported high bid. It should have gone to a new home at this price.

Lot # T209 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II 4-Dr. Sedan; S/N LSTB218; Black, Silver/Red leather; Visually maintained, largely original, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $37,500 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $41,250 – Wheel covers, whitewalls, Lucas driving lights, added air conditioning, Alpine CD stereo, power windows. – Lightly scratched grille surround. A few light cracks in the paint and some rubbing on the door edges, but the paint is mostly good. Good newer chrome on the front bumper but the back is lightly scratched up. Significantly wrinkled seats front and rear but not bad. Sound wood. Slightly faded gauges. Lightly used and unrestored but maintained underneath. No rust, although the exhaust looks a little rough. Not represented with its original tools. Never fully restored, but has gotten most of what it needed when necessary. A light overhaul away from being ready for wedding car duty. – This would make a good event car or casual driver rather than something for the serious Rolls-Royce person and, all things considered, it’s hard to argue with this price.

Lot # S108.1 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 Fastback; S/N Z67400F7A02699; Candy Apple Red, White stripes/Black vinyl; Older restoration, 3+ condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $105,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $115,500 – 428/355hp, 4-speed, Shelby wheels, power steering, power brakes, fire extinguisher, pushbutton radio, woodrim steering wheel, hood pins. – Air cleaner signed by Carroll Shelby. Very clean but not overly detailed engine bay. Decent older paint and chrome. A few small cracks and blisters on the tail. Cracks around the vents behind the windows. Cracking in the drip rails. Very good interior. Light use underneath but not bad. Genuine car, but an older restoration that is really starting to show its age. – This is a moderate price for a first-year 4-speed GT500 Fastback, even with the condition issues, but it reflects what has been a softening Shelby Mustang market over recent months.

Lot # S212 1970 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 Soft Top 4×4; S/N FJ4069628; Light Green/Coral; Gray vinyl top; Recent restoration, 2 condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $35,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $38,500 – Hub caps, Warn winch, rear-mounted spare with original jack. – Very clean, fresh and correct engine bay. Spotless and fresh restored frame. Fresh and better than average paint. Brand new top. Smudges on the rear seat that might clean up. Excellent interior otherwise. Body-off restored about six months ago. Great colors and high quality work. This sale is loaded with FJs, but this one is a standout. – There were no fewer than 20 vintage Land Cruisers in Dallas this year, and that seemed to be a few too many for the bidders. Most sold, but went for relatively modest prices. This one brought an appropriately strong but not unreasonable price thanks to the freshness and quality of its restoration. The days of six-figure FJs are gone.

Lot # S116.1 1965 Volkswagen Beetle 2-Dr. Sedan; S/N 115469293; Ruby Red, White canvas sunroof/Beige vinyl piped in Red; Enthusiast restoration, 2- condition; With Reserve; Hammered Sold at $20,000 plus commission of 10.00%; Final Price $22,000 – 1300 engine, hub caps and trim rings, whitewalls, original pushbutton radio, 12-volt electrics. – Lightly scratched but presentable bumpers. Good older paint. Even gaps. Some wear and discoloration on the sunroof. Tidy used engine bay. Lightly scratched rear glass. Very good redone interior. Restored to plenty good enough standards for a Beetle, but far from perfect. – After selling for $17,500 at Auburn Fall five years ago this car hammered not sold at a $16,000 high bid at Mecum Louisville in September, which really wasn’t an unfair offer. Giving it another go in Dallas paid off with this full retail price, particularly since it didn’t have the luggage and accessories that so often goose Beetle prices.

Comments

I’m sorry I missed this even (in person) so will be watching for the next one. I was never one for American iron but some of the late 50s/early 60s examples profiled here are pretty grand. Good show. Thx